Division I - Biology, Chemistry, and Process Engineering
Division I combines research, teaching and innovation in the scientific disciplines of biology, chemistry and process engineering. Twenty KIT research institutes, the Natural, Artificial and Cognitive Information Processing (NACIP) and Materials Systems Engineering (MSE) programmes in Helmholtz Information and the two KIT Departments of Chemistry and Biosciences and Chemical and Process Engineering form the core of the division.
We focus on our research motif "Material and energy cycles in the circular economy, life science engineering, process technology and digitalisation". In this way, we research and teach the latest processes and methods of material and energy conversion for the circular economy and build a synergistic bridge to the life sciences. In terms of content, the size scales are addressed both theoretically and experimentally from nanogram synthesis to the near-industrial ton scale. All research in Division I is geared to the requirements of a resource-efficient data-based society.
Professor Dr. Andrea Robitzki has been Head of Division I since February 17th, 2020.
Material and Energy Circuits in Circular Economy, Life Science Engineering, Process Technology and Digitization
Stem cells process genetic information as quickly as computers – Cellular Information processing as inspiration for biotechnology
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KIT researchers investigate the function of CPD photolyase in blind cave fish
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KIT researchers have uncovered how a bacterium actively switches off its disease-causing mechanisms at high cell density and evades the immune system — a possible key to better fighting infections
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KIT researchers are improving catalysts to reduce the formation of toxic by-products when using synthetic fuels
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A new nanodroplet-based platform streamlines the synthesis, characterization, and testing of therapeutic drug candidates – delivering faster, more cost-effective results in a single miniaturized workflow
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As part of a scientific tour of Baden-Württemberg, an international group of young researchers visited KIT. Following the Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, topics such as the circular economy, chemical recycling and green chemistry were discussed on campus.
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The winner of the 2025 NEULAND Innovation Contest is ReacTUNE – a software tool for designing reactor geometries
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KIT researchers investigate sugar accumulation in sorghum under saline conditions: SWEET13 gene directs sucrose into the grains
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The CIW Women Engineers Network (CIW IN) was founded in 2021 by the KIT Department of Chemical and Process Engineering (CIW) as part of the ExU Gender Equity 1 project. The aim is to enable both professional and social exchange for women within the department, regardless of where they are in their scientific careers.
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